gabbs



(No Model.)

W. H. GABBS.

TRUNK HARNESS.

No 380,431. Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

my PnzasIPncmLm m, wmm um n. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT Trice.

\VILLIAM H. GABBS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALlFORNIA.

TRUNK-HARNESS.

PI-ICIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,431, dated April3, 1888.

Application filed January 23, 1888. Serial No. 261,695. (No model.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .VILLIAM H. Gnnns, of the city and county of SanFrancisco, and State of California, have invented an Improvement inTrunk-Harness; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact descrip tion thereof.

My invention relates to that class of devices for rapidly andeffectively binding trunks, chests, boxes, 85c, by means of encirclingstraps, and which may properly be called trunk'harness.

My invention consists of a harness composed of two main portions-one forthe top of the trunk and one for the bottom-each portion consisting of acenter or centers, from which straps radiate so as to pass over the top,the bottom, the sides, and ends of the trunk or chest, and provided withsuitable fastening devices-such as buckles, rings, and straps-for thepurpose of securing them all together, all of which I shall hereinafterfully describe.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple andeifectivetrunk-harness which may be readily appliedto the trunk or chestand as readily l oosened,eith er completely or partially, for thepurpose of opening the trunk or chest.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective viewof my trunkharness. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a singleharness.

A is a trunk, and B is one of the main parts of the harness and O is theother, the former being on the top of the trunk and the latterunderneath.

The part B is composed of two similarly-1ocated rings, 2), one at eachend of the top center of the trunk, and from these rings extend indivergent directions over the top of the trunk and toward its sidecenters the straps b, united by the rings b From the ring-centers bextend also over the top and down the back of the trunk, and over thetop and down the front of the trunk, the straps b and from saidringcenters again extend the straps b, passing down over the ends of thetrunk. The portion 0 of the harness is similarly composed of theringcenters 0, the divergent straps a, united by rings 0, the straightside straps e and the end straps 0*. To the rings If of the upperportion are secured straps D which pass down over the back and frontcenters of the trunk, and are provided with end rings, 1). The bottomrings, 0', have connected with them straps c, which pass upwardly overthe back and front centers of the trunk and have rings 0. The end strapsb of the upper portion have rings b", and the end straps c of the bottomportion have rings 0 The straight or transverse side straps, b and c ofboth portions are united in front and back by buckles D. The centerstraps, b and 0 of both portions are united by straps E passing throughtheir rings Z1 and 0, and provided with buckles e. The end straps, b"and c, of both portions are united by means of straps Ewhich passthrough their rings back and forth in several turns, after the manner ofwhat is known as a cinch, used so commonly upon Mexican saddles, itspurpose in this place being for the complete and powerful tightening ofthe entire harness after it has been buckled and fastened together inall its other portions. These straps, which I prefer to callcinch-straps, it will be seen, have one end secured to one of the ringsb and 0 and they thence pass down and run through the other ring, andthence up, running through the first ring, and so back and forth for anynumber of turns desirable. It is well known that this arrangement ofcinch-straps is such as to provide for a great amount of force intightening the whole harness.

Suitable guides, such as are here represented by G, may be provided atdifferent parts of the trunk for the passage of the various straps.

In applying the harness the two main portions are placed in positiononeon top and the other on the bottom of the trunk. The center straps, b0", are joined by their straps E and buckled, and the side straps, b c,are

buckled together. Then the cinch-strapsl at each end are tightened upand fastened, so that the entire harness is firmly secured on the trunk.In order to open the trunk, the side straps, b 0 and the center straps,if c", on the front are unbuckled, and the cinch-straps F are loosenedsufficiently to allow the cover to be thrown back.

If desired, the harness may be used as a single one by dispensing withthe side straps, b and 0 as shown in Fig. 2.

I am aware that straps have been placed around a trunk in variouspositions and that a harness composed of metal straps and leather strapshas also been used, which tightens the trunk up, and I do not thereforeclaim,broadly, a trunk-harness; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secu re by Letters Patent, is p 1.A trunk-harness composed of two main portionsone for the top and theother for the bottom of the trunk-each portion having a center, fromwhich radiate straps proceeding over the sides and ends of the trunk andunited, the, end straps having rings, and connected by straps runningthrough both rings, whereby the harness may be tightened, substantiallyas described.

2. A trunk-harness composed of two main portions-one for the top of thetrunk and the other for the bottomeach portion consisting of tworing-centers over the end centers of the top and bottom, strapsradiating from these rings over the top and bottom, the center and theends of the trunk, and over the sides of the trunk at each end,andbuokles and straps for uniting the ends of the straps of eachportion,- substantially as described.

3. In a trunk-harness, straps passing in several directions over thetrunk from the top and bottom and united :by buckles or other

